Econundrums

What's Causing the West Nile Virus Outbreak?

This year is one of the worst ever in the US for this mosquito-borne illness. Here are a few possible explanations.

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| Mon Oct. 15, 2012 3:00 AM PDT
cat on toilet

Poop Therapy: More Than You Probably Wanted to Know About Fecal Transplants

Gross as it sounds, an infusion of good bacteria—in the form of someone else's excrement—seems to help fight some infections.

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| Mon Oct. 8, 2012 3:00 AM PDT
Illustration: John Hersey

Is Raw Milk Really Good for You?

It might taste great, but pasteurization was invented for a reason.

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| Mon Sep. 24, 2012 3:00 AM PDT

Why Doesn't Your City Have Curbside Composting?

Two words: Big Trash.

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| Mon Sep. 10, 2012 3:00 AM PDT

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Are Your Skinny Jeans Starving the World?

The cotton that feeds our appetite for fast fashion is taking up room that could be used for food crops.

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| Wed Aug. 22, 2012 3:00 AM PDT
blueberry with ants

Wash Your Organic Produce. No, Really.

From "pesticide drift" to bacteria, you could be asking for trouble if you don't.

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| Mon Aug. 20, 2012 3:00 AM PDT

Should You Buy Beef to Help US Ranchers Survive the Drought?

For most of us, relentlessly hot and dry weather is annoying. For ranchers, it's a catastrophe.

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| Mon Jul. 30, 2012 3:00 AM PDT

Do Sports Drinks Really Work?

All that stuff about replacing electrolytes and so on you've been hearing all these years? Not so much.

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| Mon Jul. 30, 2012 3:00 AM PDT

America's Dirtiest Beaches

Forget about Jaws. You should be worried about bacteria at your local beach. Plus: map of ratings at 200 popular beaches.

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| Mon Jul. 9, 2012 3:00 AM PDT

Should You Leave the AC On for Your Cat or Dog?

Veterinarians weigh in—plus, cute photos of critters trying to beat the heat.

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| Mon Jul. 2, 2012 3:00 AM PDT

Soda: Ban it? Nah. Tax it? Yep.

Taxing sugary drinks enough might nudge people to buy fewer Big Gulps.

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| Mon Jun. 18, 2012 3:00 AM PDT

Is Your Supermarket Chucking Foods Before They Expire?

Probably. Although at one national chain, it's called "distressing," not chucking.

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| Mon Jun. 4, 2012 3:00 AM PDT
Illustration: David Goldin

Can GMO Mosquitoes Save You From Dengue?

To combat dengue fever, a biotech firm unleashes genetically engineered bloodsuckers. What could possibly go wrong?

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| Mon May. 28, 2012 3:00 AM PDT
desk with gadgets

Unplugging These 6 Gadgets Will Cut Your Electricity Bill

The fridge has to run, of course, but a few smart choices will save you energy—and cash.

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| Mon May. 21, 2012 3:00 AM PDT

Men Find Vegetables Unmanly

Because eating meat means you have giant muscles, obviously.

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| Wed May. 16, 2012 12:43 PM PDT

Do Toms Shoes Really Help People?

The "buy one, give one" model sounds like a great idea, but does it really alleviate poverty? It depends.

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| Mon May. 14, 2012 12:01 AM PDT

2 Years Later, Grim Photos From the BP Disaster

The oil-slicked turtles the government didn't want you to see.

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| Mon May. 7, 2012 3:00 AM PDT

It's Okay to Eat Sardines...Right?

Should we really be eating the fish that entire marine ecosystems are built on? The perils of our latest desire to do good.

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| Mon Apr. 30, 2012 3:00 AM PDT
seismograph

Does Fracking Cause Earthquakes?

A new report from the US Geological Survey asks whether a recent burst of earthquakes in the Midwest are natural or man-made.

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| Mon Apr. 16, 2012 3:00 AM PDT
Crumpled Ball of Paper

Does Using Paper Take CO2 out of the Environment?

Trees sequester carbon dioxide, and paper is made from trees. So shouldn't you use as much paper as possible to stop climate change?

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| Mon Apr. 9, 2012 3:00 AM PDT